BJP faces defeat in five states, says Pawar

Attacking the Narendra Modi government on the JNU imbroglio, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar said on Saturday that the BJP was "staring at defeat" in the upcoming elections in five states.

"The BJP is staring at defeat in its face. That is why seeds of Hindutva and sedition are being sown before it goes to the elections," Pawar said, addressing a meeting of state party leaders here.

He said that the JNU issue was purely a "political conspiracy" and it is being propagated that only the BJP are nationalists while all others are anti-nationals.

"Nobody supports such anti-India posters. Police must probe this complex issue. There are barely two percent Maoist sympathizers in JNU. The student panel which defeated the ABVP in the JNU elections is now being branded as anti-national and its leaders are jailed," Pawar asserted.

He said Bharatiya Janata Party and its loyalists are deemed as patriots whereas others are labeled as anti-nationals and predicted that in wake of all this, the BJP will bite the dust in the ensuing elections in five states across India.

Pawar added that by pitching Hindus against Muslims and Dalits against non-Dalits, the BJP government is trying to divert attention from other issues, like farmers.

NCP state president Sunil Tatkare warned of attempts being made to "suppress" the party and called upon its workers to be prepared for any challenges and confrontation with the government.